Manipulate Me
by Merrine
Summary: Australia decides to have a contest with Ivan, Natalia, Francis, Arthur and Alfred. But they soon start dropping off like flies and after more time the murderer will soon be found. Human names used.


**December 1st 2010**

Black clouds loomed over the old house sitting above the hill eerily, it all seemed to perfect, so ready for something to go wrong. It had started as a simple dare you could say, or a play on words. It was a basic mistake. 'This will be a wonderful idea!' They were now having second chances, three black cars rolled up and out of the cars stepped a small group of people with umbrella's.

The first car stopped and two individuals stepped out into the rain, they were both blonde but one had shorter hair. He seemed irritated and glad toi be out of the car eager to get as far away from the car as possible, he stepped onto the curb grabbing his bag that was thrown at him holding the umbrella above his head. He looked up at the house shuddering slightly, it had seemed impulsive and fun at the time but he was now really starting to have second thoughts.

"Not happy with this Arthur?" The other asked stepping forward with a slight smirk, he wasn't really daunted by the idea of spending a month in this creepy place. After all it was a money prize at the end if they managed to survive.

"Of course I am not happy!" Arthur snapped back angrilly grumbling to himself, "Bring Francis along it will be fun, yeah right he stuck me with you in purpose!"

The second car pulled up and unlike the first one the two people bounded out chasing eachother around in the rain, the one that jumped out first had mousy brown hair followed by a blonde. They stood with their bags getting soaked grinning from ear to ear at Arthur and Francis trying to hold back the giggles.

The brunette stepped forward grinning cheerily at Arthur, "Didn't have much fun as us as I guess big brother?" 

"Shut up..." Arthur mumbled under his breath staring back at him, "What possessed you to think up such a plot Keith?"

Keith shrugged looking at him blankly turning to the road as he heard the third and final car's doors opened, before the person emerged he turned back to Arthur smiling, "Blame Alfred!"

"Why me?" The blonde asked growling angrilly.

"You three seem as eager as ever~" I calm voice called stepping out, the man seemed a giant and the three shuddered slightly as he stepped out onto the curb holding his bag happily trying his best not to turn his head, "This should be fun~ It's just...just...just...Iwanttodie..."

A woman clung to his long beige coat, she was dressed in what could only be described as a variation of a maid dress. Except her face showed pure evil intent as she clung to the taller man, "Nii-sama you shall be sharing a room with me won't you?" She shook at his coat almost violently clawing at his arms begging for an answer, "Big Brother!~"

"Natalia don't kill him yet," Keith joked as he started to walk towards the old path to lead up to the house, he was calm about this whole situation, afterall he was the one who orginised this whole ordeal.

Lightning struck down and almost immedetly afterward thunder cracked like a whip harshly acorss the hill sending down chills down their spines. It was an eerie night, full moon if you could see it past the dark clouds, and an even darker house being illuminated by the pressance of lightning. Fear struck down as they started to reach for their bags hoping that the lightng. The trees whisped around as if they were being pulled by strong wires, almost hauling them from the ground with pierecing noises of crashing when a branch was finally wrenched from it's mother tree.

Keith was first to the door scrambling for the keys, his hair was soaking wet plastered over his forehead like it was glued to it. He grabbed the keys pushing them into the rusty lock turning it, the brunette placed his weight against the door pushing it in. He swung his bag in taking a deep breath reaching into his pockets for matches to light the candles and oil lamps around the place.

"They could have installed propr lights you know?" Alfred stated as he stepped in shaking like a dog to get dry, he followed Keith watching him do the lamps sighing, "You do know I'm afraid of ghosts right?"

Keith grinned back up at Alfred shrugging, "I don't think you have anything to worry about," he said shaking the match so the flame would go out, "Arthur's with us, he'll be-friend them all before they eat you~"

"I heard that!" Arthur complained walking up as well closely followed by Francis, Ivan and the clinging Natalia.

Alfred sighed turning away, "Right, I get it..."

Keith looked at Alfred shrugging, "What's got his nickers in a twist?" He asked blankly looking over at Arthur.

"I don't know it's Alfred do you really expect him to make any sense?" Arthur didn't really like Alfred, he never did really. He had introduced Keith to Alfred early in high school and since then Keith had started to misbehave more and spend more and more time with Alfred, it wasn't fair in his eyes. Keith had been his best friend and brother his entire life but now all he wanted to do was to become more like Alfred and hang out with him more and more. It made him sick.

"I guess I'll cook us dinner," Francis said picking up an eski looking around for the whereabouts of the kitchen, "Keith dear where is the kitchen?"

Alfred turned his head, "What?"

"Turn to your right then the first door on your left will be the kitchen," he said pointing in the direction of the kitchen, "it's old so don't be angry if there are no can openers or something like that okay?"

"Thank you," he said taking the eski across the room turning going down to the kitchen.

Arthur started to lug his heavy bag up the stair case huffing and sighing cursing under his breath and generally bagging Alfred out, "I will be up here if anyone needs me," he stated wasting no time staying down stairs with his brother and people he had invited.

Keith turned to Ivan and Natalia sighing, "So we can all just relax until dinner I guess," he said happily pushing his bag aside smiling at Natalia who was clinging to Ivan, "if you need anything feel free to come and find me princess," he said reaching for her hand. It was quickly slapped away by the feisty girl who huffed continuing to cling to her older brother's scarf, "Or not..." Keith mumbled stepping back next to Alfred.

"Let us go big brother~" Natalia called pulling him gently, her face was so sweet and perfect at that point, Keith found himself gaping in awe momentarily, "Let us go and watch the rain from the window, you can hold me close and we can marry in the morning!"

"Natalia! Please! No! I don't want to get married!" Ivan called as she started to drag him out of the hall way into the lounge room pressing his face against the glass forcing him to gaze out into the fog.

Keith turned towards Alfred shrugging placing his hands in his pockets looking around blankly, "What should we do until dinner?" He asked back at Alfred who had zoned out but was now back in fixing his glassess up.

Another crack of thunder.

"U-um," he looked around trying to think of anything they_ could_ do in a boring haunted place like this.

Keith laughed slapping Alfred on the back gently laughing, but his laugh soon faded as they heard Francis scream from the kitchen. They ran in to see him sitting on the floor pointing up at the mirror, Keith and Alfred looked up at the mirror trying to read the message.

'on tihs nhigt of dbemecer one slahl die at the hdnas of aohnetr...'

"All the letters are mixed up," Keith said concentrated then re-reading it aloud as Alfred stood Francis up, "On this night of December one shall die at the hands of another..."

"Francis did you do this to scare me?" Alfred said holidng back his stutter.

Francis shook his head, he was as white as a sheep.

"I'll take him to his room," Keith said putting his shoulder's under Fracnis's arm lifting him up, "go check on Ivan and Natalia, I'll see Arthur when I am up there."

"Right!" Alfred said running out of the kitchen, he looked around in the loungeroom. Only Ivan sat in the big chair. Did this mean?

He stepped forward so he stood in front of Ivan, he looked him in the eye quite seriously. He was reading a book ancient murders that were never solved, this did not help his consiouns, "Ivan where is Natalia?" He asked hoping he wouldn't get mad, Ivan was quite scary at times.

"I got rid of her," he replied simply.

Alfred bit his lip, got rid of her? What did he mean by that? He couldn't have killed her could he? Alfred stepped back nodding turning out of the room when he heard a thud outside, he opened the door of the house stepping out. He walked slowly along the side looking curiously at the bag tossed outside, he picked it up. It was Natalia's. Inside. Her severed arm.

He dropped the bag quickly running back inside the house hardly being able to breathe, he looked over at Ivan shuddering. He had the motive, he knmew Ivan was trouble and he hadn't been watching him for the past few minutes. He must have killed Natalia.

He was about to head up the stairs when Arthur, Keith and Francis were walking down. They looked at Alfred slightly confused.

"Na-na-natalia...her arm...her bag...dead...she..." Alfred's face turned white.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Keith turned his head and started to walk down the corridor slowly slightly worried at what he would find, the driping noise lead him to a bathroom. He pushed the door open and stopped breathing shaking in his boots, he stepped in followed by the others and finally Ivan who had been swept up in the moment. Hanging over the bathtub was Natalia, small droplets of blood dripped from her shoulder clanging aganist the tin bathtub below her corpse.

Keith's eyes welled up with tears and he collapsed to the floor holding his heart, he didn't speak a single word.

Alfred was just as horrified as Keith was, he pushed forward past Francis placing his arm around Keith comfortingly rubbing his hand on his back, "Keithy are you okay?" He asked wiping the tears from his cheeks.

Francis stood to the side maintaining his compossure, his bottom lip quivered in slight fear but apart from that he was calm.

Arthur was trying his best, like Francis, to keep compossure. He bent down pushing Alfred away from Keith, "Give him here!" He shouted embracing his brother in a hug, "He doesn't need _you _to comfort him!"

Ivan stood at the back smiling like he always did, smiling before he left walking away from the scene.

The night was long. The rain was just spitting by the end simply drizzling down gently onto the window's and sorounding areas. No one could sleep however. Eventually Francis decided he would leave Natalia's body outside in an old box he had found until they had time to contact the authorities about what had happened.

Keith couldn't sleep and he hadn't spoken a word since they found her body, Arthur and Alfred knew he wasn't asleep because they had decided to stay outside his room. When they heard Keith mumble and start to cry again they crumbled opening the door barging in slamming it behind them, each of them took one of his hands using their spare arm to embrace him in a sort of hug.

"We think we know who killed her," Alfred said with a half smile.

"We think it was Ivan, he was acting funny after all," Arthur continued.

"And he is the only one without an alibi," Alfred finished for Arthur. He let go of Keith's hand sitting back leaning against the bed post, "Francis was in the kitchen you and Francis were upstairs talking with Arthur when I was downstairs with Ivan, I left after talking with him and her. During that time he msut have killed her and put her arm in her bag."

Arthur nodded happily embracing Keith in a full hug, "And the motive is there too; He doesn't, well didn't, want to marry her!"

Keith burried his head in Arthur's chest shaking his head, he clung tightly. They had solved the murder so quickly? But isn't thre usually more to these sorts of things than a simpe 'he did this, because of that' motion going on? In Keith's head the events of the night stuck in his head, twirling around painfully grasping onto him making things even more and more painful for him with every breath.

"Or..." Alfred started moving in closer to Keith, "...we could just not talk about this?"

"I'd like that..." Was Keith's response, followed by him moving closer towards Alfred for a hug.

Arthur huffed.

Alfred smiled embracing his friend, "We'll get through this...I promise..."

**December 10th 2009**

**8:15 PM**

Nine days since the muder of Natalia and things had gone back to what could be described as a norm, however in the light of recent days Ivan had become more and more silent spending more time away. He hadn't eaten dinner with the others for three days and no one had seen him in two, he spent his time in his room looking out at the rain.

Arthur and Alfred said that this proved his guilt and nobody felt like arguing, if he wasn't the murderer who was?

Ivan stepped into the dining hall sitting down in his seat looking at the meal Francis had cooked, there were small mumurs from the others while he poked at the chicken before opening his mouth starting to eat.

Arthur coughed looking up at Ivan, "Sorry about your loss," he said weakly trying to hide his smirk and secret knowing that Ivan had killed his sister. It had to be him he was the only one without an alibi, but he wasn't going to say that. He was just going to keep his mouth shut lest he be the one killed next, which in fact everyone was worried about.

Ivan bit gently onto the fork consuming the food on the end, he swalllowed shallowly looking over at Arthur, "Mhm," he looked back at his plate placing his knife and fork down standing up slowly, his eye's shuffled in his sockets holding back tears as he pushed the chair back in, "May I be excused." He turned from the table walking away out of the room dragging his feet behind him.

Keith was the next person to stand up clunking his cutlery down on the plate roughly practically running from the table, "I should be getting to sleep," he said running up the stairs shuddering slightly with every step.

Francis sighed placing his knife and fork down standing up taking everyone's plates, "I guess everyone is still a little bit stressed," he said with a heavy sigh grabbing Keith's plate adding it the pile, "at least we are nearly half way there."

Arthur and Alfred stood in union looking at each other then back at Francis. Arthur opened his mouth to speak as Alfred began to turn away, "We're gonna sleep outside Keth's toom again tonight," Arthur followed Alfred in trotting up the staircase walkng slowly towards his room.

"I'm suprised he took her death that hard," Arthur said leaning his ear against the door, Keith was taking a shower, "well he was serious about sleeping. he's having a shower."

"Wh-what?" Alfred darted up leaning his ear against the door, yes, he _was_ having a shower. Alfred looked over at Arthur sighing irritated, "He_ loved_ Natalia, a concept I doubt you have ever felt!" These two always fighted even before Keith came around things got worse, instead of nit-picking about eachother they argued about how much time they spent with Keith, who was the better friend or even about who Keith liked better. Arthur usually won these arguments with the simple answer that he was his older brother.

"Of course I have felt love," Arthur scolded taking his ear from the door sliding back down to a sitting position again, "I feel love for Keith, he's my brother and I cherish him most of all..." he smiled.

"I-I...I d-do...Idotoo," Alfred mumbled sitting down next to Arthur pulling his knee's to his chest still keeping an ear out for Keith.

Arthur sat up turning his head down the corridor, "I'm going to bed, you can watch over him," he said quietly stepping down the hall to his own room.

Alfred looked up curiously at Arthur, the way he was acting. Was he leaving so Alfred could watch Keith by himself? Alfred blushed slightly hiding his face in his knees, not soon after he somehow managed to fall asleep falling slopily against the door frame.

**12 PM**

"Alfred! Alfred!"

Alfred was shook awake, he opened his eyes to Arthur frantically pushing on his shoulder thrusting his arm back and forth. Alfred sat up fixing his glasses staring at Arthur who was hyperventhilating looking down at him, his eyes as if he had seen a ghost. Alfred took a few moments to gather himself up then stood wiping his forehead, "What is it Arthur?" He asked slightly angrily really not wanting for him to awaken Keith.

Arthur took a deep breath pointing down the corridor towards Ivan's room starting to walk, Alfred followed watching him cautously awaiting for his reasoning for waking him up.

It was a while before Arthur spoke, they had walked to Ivan's room and opened the proped open door stepping inside. "Francis and I decided to check on him in case he was disturbed after what happaned or he did to Natalia," he led Alfred through the room taking him towards the bathroom where Francis stood looking over the bathtub, "the bedroom door was locked...we had to brake it open..."

Alfred looked down at Ivan's body soaking in the bathtub. His hair floated softly in the water waving around his scalp sweetly, his eyes gaped open along with his mouth. No bubbles came out. Ivan was well and truly dead.

"Suicide?" Alferd looked up at Arthur.

Arthur shrugged looking back at the door where Keith stood looking nervous, "K-Keith..." He stepped forward but Alfred beat him to comforting his brother.

Alfred ran as fast as he could embracing Keith in a hug before he could even realise what had come, he wrapped his arms around his body tightly feeling him tremble in the fear of seeing Ivan's body. Alfred swallowed deeply grasping Keithy tighter slowly moving from the room outside clutching him ever so tightly, "You shouldn't have to see that," he said sitting down outside grasping him in a hug smiling at him resting his head on his shoulder, "it's all over now. No one will die anymore."

Keith had calmed in the arms of the blonde but once he spoke he started to tremble again.

"Keith," Alfred turned the brunette around on his lap kissing his cheek gently, "Keith I love you."

Keith stood up biting his lip before turning on the ball of his foot speeding away. Keith was usually very much like Alfred, free spirited and carefree, always happy and hyperactive. But for some reason the past few days affected him in a way no one suspected and it made them worry.

Francis stepped out of the room humming softly to himself, his boots clunked against the floor almost like a lullaby. It stopped, "Is somewthing wrong with Keith?" He asked glancing down the corridor for a second before looking back at Alfred tilting his head, "Hrm?"

"I have no idea," he looked up at Francis then stood sighing letting his hands sway loosely by his sides, this house was creepy and they were all coming down with a bad case of cabin feever and paranoia about murder. But the murderer had been killed had he not? It was Ivan right? No one else had the motive and oppotunity, "he loved Natalia, so maybe he is upset about that."

"True, we cannot rule depression out," he replied tapping his bottom lip with his index finger continuing to hum his tune.

Alfred stood walking back to Keith's room trying to ignore Francis's words, "He won't do anything stupid will he?"

Fracnis shrugged waiting for Arthur to leave the room, "Ivan killed himself, Keith seems more unstable."

A chill ran down Alfred's spine and he started to run down to Keith's room faster and faster finally bursting the door open panting looking at Keith gaze out the window in a trance. He stepped forward feeling the cool breeze woft his fringe back and forth against his cheek, he reached his hand out to Keith placing it on his shoulder, "I'm sorry," he said sadly, "I should have kept my feelings hidden..."

"N-no...it's okay..." he murmured in return turning around leaning on Alfred's chest, he could feel his heart beat louder and louder and faster and faster, this made him smile, "I'm not upset because of Natalia..."

"Really? Then what's wrong?"

"I don't want to talk about it Alfred," he pushed him away walking towards the bed flopping down on the middle pulling the covers up over his head.

It started to rain.

Alfred stared down at the blob in the bed, he had no idea what to do. He knew if he got in to hug Keith and make him feel better it may in fact make things worse.

"Keith...what are we ever going to do with you?" Arthur asked walking in locking the door behind him slowly walking towards the bed pulling his socks off and jacket sitting next to Keith sliding under the covers stroking his hair gently, "Shhh."

Alfred puffed his cheeks out then relaxed them doing the same as Arthur sitting in on the other side of Keith, "We'll be here with you tonight," he said stroking his hair back from Arthur. He wrapped one of his arms around Keith's waist pulling him closer to himself nuzzling the back of his neck, Alfred felt bad for placing his feelings onto Keith especially when he was in a state like this. He didn't stop though, he continued to nuzzle Keith's neck and when he didn't tell him to stop he bit it.

Keith gave a tiny moan and Arthur looked up at Alfred, "What are you doing?" He asked slapping his mouth away from his brother's neck, "Leave him alone would ya?" He grumbled embracing Keith in a hug pulling him away from Alfred covering his neck with his hand, "He just needs a hug."

Alfred complied with Arthur, he knew Keith well enough to know what anyone should or shouldn't be doing to him. Alfred inched closer towards him again wrapping his arms around him gently pulling him closer towards himself.

Keith mumbled in his sleep inching towards Alfred whilst burrying his head into Arthur's chest, it was hard to choose who to sleep on. They always tore him in two, but right now all he really need was a good nights sleep. That was something that no one was willing to give him, even though they were trying.

"Arthur," he said pulling away from Alfred's grasp. He was pulled closer by Arthur and he shuffled in placing his arms by his side gently resting his head on Arthur's arm under his chin, "I need to tell you..."

Arthur was happy, he was hugging his brother like the good old times and he had chosen him over Alfred. It was a good feeling to have won, he now had bragging rights, but he had to snap out and concentrate on the words coming out of the boys mouth, "What is it that you need to tell me?" He asked leaning their heads up slightly so they were off the pillow.

Keith moved his head back down starting to breathe funny, "I need to tell you...why Natalia and Ivan...why they died..."

**December 11th 2009**

**1 AM**

Arthur sat on one side of the bed and Alfred on the other both watching Keith sit up limply taking his time to lean against the head of the bed grasping a pillow close to his chest, he gave a weak smile looking up at the two who stared back with worried expressions. This did not help. Keith took a few deep breaths to regain compossure then started to fiddle with his fingers begining to talk.

"I had told you this idea...the idea of spending a month in this creepy place. I went outside and around the corner where I had left some of my beer only to see Francis attacking Natalia in the only way he knew how, I tried to stop him but he then came onto me. When I asked him what it would take to stop him he said I had to do anything and everything he asked," Keith took a deep breath turning to Alfred pulling his shirt down slightly showing a small bruise where Francis had bitten him.

Arthur looked at Keith grabbing his hands, "So it was you..." he said weakly trying to pull him into a hug but he stood his ground.

"I didn't want to kill Natalia," he said almost in tears, "you all know I feel about her. When I took Francis out of the kitchen we ran to the bathroom where Natalia was washing her face, we used some cholroform Francis had brought with him to silence her, after that we had a knife from the kitchen we used to...slash...slash her neck so she'd die," Keith shook with every word he spoke becoming more and more nervous. But at anytime he showed signs of almost collapsing Alfred and Arthur would lung one of their hands onto his, they weren't scared of the fact he had killed Natalia and caused Ivan's death. "We cut her arm and placed it in a bag that Arthur pushed off the house for Alfred to find."

Keith didn't leave time for them to give him a comforting words, he continued to speak wiping his eyes, "I came to my room and opened the window and used the outdoor piping to get to Ivan's room," he smiled slightly obviously impressed by the feat he had managed to complete, "I leapt in the window and used a pillow to suffocate him, but I had to make it look like suicide. I dragged his body to the bath and filled it up with water making sure I locked the inside doors knowing no one would bother checking the old windows, then all I had to do was escape the scene making sure I shut the window and made the bed look slightly more normal."

Alfred sighed pulling Keith into a hug, they had both been wrong but they didn't know what to say. It really wasn't Keith killing them, it was Francis manipulating him, "How did he get you to kill Ivan?"

"He said...he said he'd tell you guys I killed Natalia...and he had nothing to do with it," he said wrapping his arms around Alfred's shoulders leaning his head on one sniffling softly.

Alfred stroked Keith's back gently sighing pulling him closer to him, "Keith...I'm sorry..."

"I'm the bad one."

"No your not!" Alfred stood walking towards the door clenching his fist, he was not going to let Francis get away with this!

Alfred opened the door slamming it shut violently making the walls shake as he stormed off down the corridor, his feet slamming down making the old floorboards tremble beneath his anger.

Keith sat up running towards the door to try and stop Alfred but sighed knowing he couldn't, he wiped his eyes not turning around, "Arthur I'm sorry," he said sadly.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked sitting up clenching the sheets tightly, he stepped forward reaching his arm out, "We told you that we don't mind, it isn't your fault!"

Keith reached for an empty wine bottle that was sitting on the stand next to him, he grasped the nozzle tightly stepping back to Arthur tears welling in his eyes as he raised the bottle above his head, "I'm sorry big brother...I'm so sorry..." He sniffled.

"K-Keith why are you doing this?" Arthur stuttered falling back onto the bed watching him.

Keith's eyes shook in the sockets and he rubbed his eyes wiping the tears away, "Fr-Francis t-told me t-to," he continued to stutter bringing the bottle above Arthur's head, "he said if I t-told you...h-he'd...I-I...I do not wish t-o repeat th-the words he spok-ke..."

The sound of smashing glass echoed througout the house, the sound of Arthur's vocal chords screaming and bellowing in a painfully loud and distressing scream. Blood pooled around his head and small cuts were visible on Keith's palm.

"I'm sorry Arthur," he said running to the door, "I'm sorry Arthur please forgive me!"

**2 AM**

Alfred had a hard time finding Francis, he wasn't in his room or kitchen or any other room for the matter. Instead he finally managed to find Francis sitting hidden behind a couch staring into the fireplace with a smug grin on his face knowing what he had forced Keith to do numorous times. Alfred felt sick looking at the blonde.

"What do you think your doing?" Alfred snarled moving closer to Francis hissing with every breath, "Why did you make Keith kill them against his will."

Francis laughed smugly, "So you found me out?" His lip curled looking up at Alfred, he felt like taunting him by telling him that he should run back because Keith's next intrusction was to kill anyone who had found out. He had heard Arthur's scream a few minutes ago but Alfred was obviously still in the dark about the whole situation, "Do you think I would let Keith tell you guys what had happened and let you get away scott free?"

Alfred thought about what Francis was saying, the words that came from his mouth hurt his heart when he finally realised what he had said, "A-Arthur..." He took a deep breath glaring down at Francis throwing a punch at his face, "How dare you order him to murder the person he cares about and needs the most!" His fist made contact with Francis's cheek forcing him backwards off the couch, "How dare you do that to my favourate person!"

"Oh~" Francis cooed happily sitting up rubbing his cheek, "I forgot all about your little crush on Keithy dear~"

"Shut up!" Alfred hissed through clenched teeth, "You have no right to even speak his name you filth!"

Francis didn't reply, he let Alfred suffer in his silence, suffer like he always made everyone do.

"I need to..." Alfred turned his head running for the staircase, "I need to tell Keith everything is okay!" He ran up the stairs but was stopped by the words Francis spoke.

"But nothing is okay, he's a killer."

Ignore the words Alfred. He tried to tell himself it was okay. He stepped up continuing to walk towards Keith's room. He wiated outside listenting to Keith talk to himself, how he had thrown Arthur's body out of the window. Then he heard his tears.

**3:30 AM**

Alfred could not take anymore, this hurt too much listenting to the tears of the one he loved. It was torture! He opened the door walking in watching Keith hold a knife up to his chest.

"Alfred...don't love me please..."

"I don't have a choice Keith," he said walking forwards embracing him in a hug tightly stroking his hair gently humming lightly into his ear calming his trembling body, "I love you and I want you to love me back, I don't care if your hands are stained and your mind is broken. You are still Keith and I know you are not a bad person, don't kill yourself."

Keith pointed the knife at Alfred, "Francis will hurt me if I don't do this to you..."

"Keith think!" He shouted holding his shoulders looking down at him tears in his own eyes, he bent down placing his lips on Keith's gently licking his bottom lip moving in closer making the kiss deeper. When he finally moved away Keith's legs were like jelly and his heart was pounding.

"Al-Alfred...I..." Keith leaned on him not knowing what to say, he clenched tightly onto Alfred's shirt breathing weakly.

Alfred bent down kissing his hair smelling it at the same time, it smelt like Keith. And Keith smelt nice, he smelt like love. "It's alright," he said stroking his cheek moving back, "it is all alright now."

Keith still held the knife in his trembling hands, he heard footsteps and saw Francis standing at the door. "Alfred...listen to me when I said I warned you," he bit his lip pushing the knife into his chest, he felt Alfred's body shake and scream then watched as Francis walked away, "...what have I done?"

Alfred wrapped his arms around Keith husing him gently swaying back and forth, "I'll...I'll be fine..."

Silence.

**January 1st 2011**

Keith stood hunched over in front of a fresh grave stone, flowers set down in front of it. He didn't raise his head and stood with his hands in his pockets,_ I'm worthless_.

"Francis got jailed," he said finally looking at the stone, "my trial is coming up...they say...they say I'll probobly go...get thrown in anyway...unless they can find enough evidence..." He wiped his eyes taking a heavy sigh.

"I meant so much to you and you meant so much to me, and I need you more than ever," his voice shook before a comforting arm was placed around him pulling him into a hug.

"The court let you off but I have to watch you," the voice said calmly, "you like that idea?"

"Yeah," Keith said with a smile looking up, "I love the idea, and you Alfred~"

**((A/N: Started writing this early Febuary at the coast and only just finished, hope you like~ Review please~))**


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